World Town Planning Day conference names Eric Enos "Planner Who Has Made a Difference"

Eric Enos, Executive Director and co-founder of Kaʻala Farms, Inc. was named the "Planner Who Has Made a Difference" today at the annual World Town Planning Day sponsored by the UH Manoa Department of Urban and Regional Planning. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to urban and regional planning and the quality of life in Hawaiʻi

Enos, a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaiʻiat Manoa, has since the 1970s been a leading proponent of sustainability in Hawaiʻi. Kaʻala Farms is a thriving operation to which Native Hawaiians and others come to learn about the history of land and to engage in farming, conservation and Native Hawaiian customs and cultural practices. Enos has played a major role in Kaʻala Farms educational programs — including the development of a Hawaiian culture- and science-based immersion program, the cultivation of native plant gardens and nurseries, the art and science of kapa making, and the extension of Hawaiian studies programs into the community.

According to Karl Kim, Professor and Chair of Urban and Regional Planning, "Eric is always looking for innovative ways to foster the Hawaiian spirit in all of Hawaiʻi‘s inhabitants. He has spent a career building communities, working with young people, and producing the next generation of planners and people committed to the future of our islands. He has truly made a difference in Hawaiʻi."

Last year, the award was presented to Jim Bell, well-known professional planner with the firm of Belt Collins.

World Town Planning Day is celebrated in 30 countries on four continents each November 8 as a special day to recognize and promote the role of planning in creating livable communities. World Town Planning Day was founded in 1949 by the late Professor Carlos Maria della Paolera of the University of Buenos Aires to advance public and professional interest in planning, both locally and abroad. WTPD began to be observed in many countries more than 30 years ago.